Slartibartfast

LOL seems like to get pretty much anything trail ready, you'll put in more than you paid for the base vehicle. Unless you're doing it all yourself... and even then. The R50 is (from what I've heard) just about par with the WD21 as far as performance. The Xterra is WD22, so, just about the same as the WD21, except with different engine options and a leaf sprung rear instead of a five-link like the Pathies. I've heard good/bad either way with leafs vs links. The bigger difference is that the R50 is unibody and the WD (either of them) is body on frame. Translation: the Xterra can be body lifted, the R50 cannot (though the subframe drop does pretty much the same thing, at least for the front end). My dad had an early Xterra. it was gutless, plasticky, and not very comfortable... I'd be inclined to stick with what I know. Besides, in the kind of shape it sounds like your R50 is in, you probably wouldn't get a whole lot for it... so you'd end up paying a lot more out of pocket for the Xterra.

Sounds like something bad or loose in the injector wiring. Given that they all cut out at once, I doubt it's the injector harnesses, but I suspect that they come together at some point for a common ground... which is likely loose or corroded. You can download the factory service manual (with full wiring diagrams!) from here: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/pathfinder/1995_Pathfinder/

Yeah... sounds like something's buggered/bent. How do the link mounts look? Maybe check against the measurements in the FSM? (I know the WD fsm shows measurements for the frame, does the R50 do the same for the unibody?)

Copper oxidizes blue... and then doesn't conduct so well. If the wires aren't busted, try spraying a little tuner/contact cleaner into the plug. I haven't heard about an MAF harness kit, but you could probably lop one out of a junkyard truck.

Both flashing determines what mode it's in. I copied these directions a while ago, probably from a pinned 'how to' on here... I printed it off, and keep it in truck. It's on here somewhere but reposting it will save a search. Again this is not my writeup...

Mounting wenches over a brush guard is usually inadvisable... too many sharp edges. I don't think I've ever heard of a Pathy running on natural gas. Is that common in Brazil?

Not that I've ever done an engine swap... but yeah, I'd imagine it would. One driveshaft instead of two, no transfer case to worry about, and no worrying about clearing the front diff. On the other hand... I'm not sure quite what the point of a 2WD Pathy would be. But then, it snows here.

IIRC most people pour the extra fluid in through the shift linkage. I'd bring a piece of wood to put under the jack... can't count on the trail to support a jack, especially if it's the wimpy stock bottle jack.

My dad always goes on about the resale value (usually, "you'll put more into it than it's worth"). I figure, unless I'm going to sell it, who cares what someone else would give me for it? And I'd rather have a vehicle I'm familiar with (under the hood and behind the wheel), that I can work on, that doesn't have a warranty to worry about voiding... and that I actually own. Plus, no car payments! (Except replacing parts... )

... gone? Unless somebody stole your knock sensor during your drive, it doesn't sound like it's a new problem... if the taped connector is broken, maybe somebody tried to fix it once, realized it would run without it, and decided not to buy the part? I thought it would throw a code without it, though...

Know anybody in the Air Force? "Hey, yeah, you got a Chinook we could borrow for a few minutes?"

I've never been into a VQ (hell, I've never even been into a lawnmower) but after seeing my dad spray himself with gas, I can say this: unless you pulled the gas pump fuse and ran it until it died before tearing into it, there's probably still pressure in the fuel line. Not much you can do about that at this point, but be prepared, wherever you open it up, it's likely to spray a little gas. That said, the more stuff you get out of your way, the more enjoyable the whole thing will be... there are few things more frustrating than working around stuff.

Drifted it into a curb? That would explain why it needed rear axle work...

I've run several positive leads from an empty relay slot above the fuse box. Runs my fog lights and driving lights with no issues, and takes a standard spade connector.

You could also redneck rig it with some alligator clip test leads and a dome light bulb. Just make sure it's unplugged at both ends before you start applying 12v to it. (A 9v battery would also work.) Also, a WD/HB cluster with airbags? I didn't know there was such a thing.

Mine started acting dodgy a few weeks ago when it was almost out of gas... turned out the fuel pump sucked some crud out of the tank. The shop was able to clean out the pump and it's worked flawlessly since. It wouldn't even start unless you floored it, and when it did start, it sounded horrible. It was still pushing fuel (as my dad found out when he undid the fuel line and got squirted), but I guess it just wasn't enough. Unless you've been filling up with some really nasty gas, the filter should be fine. I haven't changed mine since I got the truck, and I don't think we even changed it then... come to think of it, I should probably swap that out soon.

A PTO for a winch? Never would've thought of that... overbuilt is always good.

You might check the wiring harness between the speed sensor and the cluster. The cruise control is probably crud on the wipers behind the steering wheel, try cleaning those out first.

If properly sealing valves blow out the piston rings, the problem isn't the heads!

Mine hums. Not super loud, I've never noticed it when the engine's going, but when I turn the key to 'on' without starting the thing I hear a brief hum from the back as it pressurizes the lines.

Good to hear you got it. And yeah, I imagine you're a bushing-fishing expert by this point!

Couldn't hurt to check the wiring. Or pull the cluster, IIRC the tach has some screws that loosen up over time... you might be able to re-flow a solder joint or something.

I thought it was just a flush and fill?

Dunno if there's a bumper removal tutorial... the FSM might help, though. I figure, get a can of blaster and a wrench and take off whatever looks like it's holding the offending parts in place.

Looks great!